In another life, Ava Wilkerson’s high school career would have had a storybook ending.
It would have been playing for the 5A State Championship for the Orange volleyball team. Two years ago, Wilkerson was in Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh, facing Kings Mountain for the 3A State Championship. The Lady Panthers came up three points short of its first state title.
In another life, Wilkerson would have been healthy enough to show off her powerful form throughout her senior year at Orange that led to her being recruited by many prominent Power 4 schools.
But this is the life that Wilkerson has, one that’s already rich enough.
She’s going to the University of Houston to play volleyball and even watched them dominate inside Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke University over Labor Day weekend, winning matches against Duke, Florida International and Bryant.
This life also requires her playing career at Orange be cut short due to a medical procedure she underwent two weeks ago.
Anyone who saw Wilkerson’s 6-foot-3 frame during her sophomore year could figure out her role on Orange’s Eastern Regional championship team. Ella Wimsatt brought the senior leadership. Libero Sadye Porter brought the defense. Katie Silcott brought versatility. Sawyer White brought setting skills.
And Wilkerson brought the power.
Once her coordination reached its apex, Wilkerson’s striking ability was unmatched locally.
In 2023, Orange won 20 consecutive matches, winning 27 consecutive sets at one point. Wilkerson, who started getting Division I offers during her sophomore year, teamed with Wimsatt and Aubrey Jordan under first-year head coach Hope Heverly to supply Orange with an attack that amassed 1,310 kills. Wilkerson was third on the team with 293 kills as Orange went undefeated against the Central Conference during the regular season.
As middle blocker, Wilkerson found herself along Jordan, her classmate. Wilkerson and Jordan started playing basketball together when they were eight years old on the same AAU team. Later, they both got into volleyball almost simultaneously. They played on the same club team at the age of 13 before moving on to bigger clubs like Triangle Academy.
“We’ve really followed each other’s footsteps in sports, which has been special,” Wilkerson said.
Fittingly, Wilkerson’s last match inside a Lady Panther uniform was against Carrboro on September 2.
In 2023, the Jaguars were the team that Orange defeated to win the 3A Eastern Regional championship amidst a raucous atmosphere inside Panther Gymnasium. Wilkerson had 13 kills against the Jaguars as the Panthers returned to the state championship match.
“Winning the Carrboro match in 2003 was definitely one of the most memorable matches for me,” Wilkerson said. “Winning the conference and then getting the chance to play at Reynolds Coliseum is something I’ll always cherish. I especially remember the huge crowd at that Carrboro game with so many students there supporting us. It was such a fun and exciting environment.”
Two weeks ago, Wilkerson knew the match against Carrboro would be her last at Orange. She made it one to remember finishing with 16 kills. The last of her 99 kills in her senior season was an unassisted strike off a free ball that floated over the net at Jaguars Gymnasium. Orange defeated Carrboro 3-1.
“It was definitely a tough match,” Wilkerson said a few days later. “Knowing it was my last ever high school game. Playing alongside my best friends that I’ve been with since middle school made it really emotional because of all the relationships we’ve built over the years.”
Afterwards, Wilkerson hugged the players she had shared her success with, grew up with and won championships with.
“Ava brought a lot of different qualities to the team,” said Heverly. “She shows a lot of leadership. The girls look up to her. She was reliable. You always knew the ball was going to go down when she hit it. She was the calm in the middle of the storm. When everything got a little hectic, Ava knew how to calm it down. She’s going to be missed.”
Wilkerson’s journey is now focused on recovery from her procedure. When she comes home from Houston in the future, she can journey around her old gymnasium and see the new banners that will soon be raised.
One of them will read “2023 3A Eastern Regional Champions.”
Because that’s the life Ava has lived.
